Mario Cipollini and Andrei Tchmil shake hands on the deal(Image credit: Team Katusha)
Filippo Pozzato (Quick.Step) with Mario Cipollini on the podium(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Mario Cipollini (Liquigas-Bianchi)(Image credit: AFP)
Legendary sprint king Mario Cipollini as popular as ever.(Image credit: Anthony Tan/Cyclingnews.com)
The Katusha team has announced that Mario Cipollini will work with the team to help develop the young Russian sprinters in the squad. The 2002 world champion will work with riders from the ProTeam, Continental and Under 23 teams including Denis Galimzyanov, who took several placings in the second part of the team.
“Our organization is becoming more and more structured: the experience of a former World Champion can’t be anything but useful,” team manager Andrei Tchmil said in a statement issued by the team.
“Everybody knew his ability as a sprinter when he used to race, so I think his experience will give us something extra. He will be the master of our young, talented riders in our Global Project”.
Tchmil was hoping Cipollini would work with team leader Filippo Pozzato to help him be more successful in 2011. However Cipollini’s role appears limited after Pozzato came out against the idea in his recent Cyclingnews blog.
“Some people think that I need Mario Cipollini at Katusha to help me, that he will somehow toughen me up and suddenly help me win more. I've nothing against Cipollini and it's not up to me to decide who works at Katusha team, but I know he won't help me win any more. And I think Andrei Tchmil knows that too,” Pozzato said.
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Stephen is one of the most experienced members of the Cyclingnews team, having reported on professional cycling since 1994. Before becoming Editor-at-large, he was Head of News at Cyclingnews. He has previously worked for Shift Active Media, Reuters and Cycling Weekly. He is a member of the Board of the Association Internationale des Journalistes du Cyclisme (AIJC).
